Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today would like to respond to the Budget Address for this fiscal year by this Government of the 20th Assembly. I am not just looking out for the best interests of my community, my riding, but I am concerned about the Northwest Territories as a whole.
Mr. Speaker, when I took the oath of office of this 20th Assembly, I took this oath very serious because I personally know the state of what our residents of the NWT are facing and what challenges they will have to endure in the near future. We as MLA's set priorities for this government to implement, to ensure the residents can live in a place of hope, a place of safety, and a place of prosperity. The residents of my community of Tetlit Zheh, Tsiigehtchic, and Aklavik, along with the non-government organizations and the Indigenous governments, have also echoed these priorities for this government to act on. To date, into our second year of our mandate, we have very little in terms of implementing the priorities.
Mr. Speaker, housing is the foundation of every community, every family, and every individual. Without a solid foundation our communities and families will not have a secure future. Prior to the 1970's, the Indigenous Peoples of the North were very strong and independent then the government came into our communities and stated that they will build us houses and make our lives easier. Well, some 50 years later we are no longer strong nor are we independent; we are more reliable on the government.
Mr. Speaker, for the past 50 years the Government of the Northwest Territories have been focusing their efforts on public housing, some of their units have passed its life span two times over, and yet our Indigenous population are subject to live in these units that should have been replaced 25 years ago. In each of my communities within the Mackenzie Delta, we have a waitlist anywhere from one to three years long.
Mr. Speaker, housing has been set as the top priority by the Members of this 20th Assembly and all levels of government, but we have witnessed very limited implementation into the living conditions of our NWT residents. Homeownership and market housing should play a bigger role in our smaller communities. Options should be made available to our Indigenous population. Believe it or not, not all of our Indigenous residents are dependent on the government but want their independence back. But with policies and procedures, we have to struggle, living within public housing and the polices that govern our lives.
Mr. Speaker, I have heard stories of our great Chief Julius from Tetlit Zheh. He signed our treaty in 1921 because he wanted a better and secure life for his people. One of the major clauses of this treaty is education. Chief Julius wanted a school built in Tetlit Zheh because he did not want any more of community children taken away to the residential school system. This treaty was signed to ensure that the community's children would receive the best education that is available today. This treaty is being breached and not upheld by the federal and territorial Governments.
Mr. Speaker, the education system of today is failing our students. The system is setting our students up for failure in life before life even starts in the real world. Today the students, particularly in the smaller communities, are graduating without any credentials. The graduating students are not able to pursue a post-secondary education for the mere fact that they are not given the proper education to pursue a career.
Mr. Speaker, when I was going to school, we would await our report cards to see if we were ready for the next grade. If not, some would have to repeat the grade again because we were being prepared for life after high school. In today's system, the students don't even wait for their report cards; they already know they are being promoted, not because they have reached their academic level but because of policies and procedures that the educators must follow. Socially promoting our students is a practice that this government must revisit and make the system right, make the system prepare our students for life after high school, not life on income support.
Mr. Speaker, the income support system in the NWT as a whole is used by 70 percent of the population. In the Mackenzie Delta riding we have 15 percent of the population, most of these recipients are young able adults. As you are aware, I have been advocating and trying to find a way to get these recipients off this program and to be viable partners in the workforce and help build our economy in the Northwest Territories. But we have a majority of recipients of this program making this as a livelihood.
Mr. Speaker, I am aware that this program should assist the select few, the elders and the disabled, because it is these recipients who really require the help because of their inability to work for themselves. But this government, and past governments, are enabling the young residents to make this a way of life. I would like to see the productive choices brought back to the program. Make the people work for the program, not the program work for the people. I don't know what else to say about this program that I have not said in my Member's statements on the subject - maybe give the program to the Indigenous governments to administer; maybe have the recipients be eligible for eight months out of the year; I really don't know.
Mr. Speaker, attending adult education was once considered a productive choice when an individual was on income support but attending Aurora College within the smaller communities may no longer be an option. The board of governors of the Aurora College made a hasty decision that has or will have a negative impact on so many resources within our community learning centres. It is understandable to close or suspend funding to certain learning centres that are not being adequately utilized by the respective communities, but there are few learning centres that are trying to promote adult education.
Mr. Speaker, this government has to be advocates of all the community learning centres and seek public input from each of the communities to see how they can play a role in their respective learning centres. I believe the local organizations can administer their local learning centres because they know their membership and will promote education within the communities. Education is very important for the benefit of the individual and the community.
Mr. Speaker, the health and social services department has been identified as a priority of this government, the Indigenous government and non-government organizations throughout the Northwest Territories. The health of our Indigenous population is another treaty right that is not thoroughly being upheld. We have our residents expressing their concerns about medical travel, escorts, and accommodations on a daily basis.
Mr. Speaker, although the government is only administering the non-insured health benefits on behalf of the federal government, there is room for improvement. The biggest obstacle that the department is having to deal with is a dental team to set up a practice within the Beaufort Delta region. It is putting a strain on medical travel, medical escorts, and especially accommodations. Having our dental patients travel to another jurisdiction and be fully covered by the NIHB would alleviate the demands on the department.
Mr. Speaker, aging with dignity within our respective communities is a major concern for our aging population. Ours elders would like to stay in familiar surroundings with their families for moral support. Most family members are in the workforce and can attend to their parents or grandparents after working hours. Having our elders move to another community, even though it may be only an hour drive, puts a strain on everyone involved.
Mr. Speaker, sending our residents of the NWT who are battling addictions to a southern institute should no longer be a viable option. Keeping our people in the North, in their own culture, will make the process of the healing journey a success. The resources are right there within the communities. We know the needs of our people and they would be receptive to share their hardships with a local concerned person who will be there throughout the process. Resources should be made available within the communities, like it was in the past. We have seen results and it is still evident today.
Mr. Speaker, alcohol and the influx of hard drugs is in every community in the Northwest Territories. We have our own people killing our own people by selling alcohol and drugs within our communities, and the authorities are not acting on tips from the concerned residents. We need the cooperation of the local RCMP to help us fight this ongoing illegal activity. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to hear that this government is initiating a task force to combat bootlegging and the drug trafficking within our communities. Most of these illegal activities are taking place within Housing NWT public units. The local housing authorities are not following through with the terms of the lease agreement that both the representative and tenant signed.
Mr. Speaker, the SCAN legislation that is being proposed to help control the alcohol and drug sales both in the public units and private homes, I would welcome and support this long-awaited legislation. The majority of the community members and resource people know who are conducting these illegal activities and yet there are policies and procedures that are protecting the criminals. For the safety and health of our communities, we need to expedite the SCAN legislation and the inception of the task force to combat the alcohol and drug activity within our communities. The court system also has to play a big part in this process by prosecuting the criminals to the full extent of the law. The bootleggers and drug traffickers cannot hide behind their children; therefore, we must set a precedent and imprison these criminals so that they do not continue to kill our law-abiding citizens.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Justice should assist the communities in setting up justice committees to give courts recommendations on the outcomes of a verdict and proposed jail terms. The justice committees can also ask that the courts do not allow repeat offenders from re-entering our communities if the community would be put at risk for their safety.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I believe that the small communities of the Northwest Territories do matter and will play a major role in reshaping the economy of the NWT. This government and this budget should start investing in its greatest resources. No, it is not precious metals or oil or gas, but our people of the North. This government has to start consulting with the general public on issues that will impact their lives in their communities.
Mr. Speaker, with the collaboration on the Cabinet, MLAs, Indigenous governments, and the residents of the Northwest Territories, we can have a territory that will be safe, healthy, and prosperous for today and the next generation. Keep investing in our small communities to make a big difference.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.